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Government should stick to its promise - 18 February 2013

The Government’s decision to send New Zealand troops on a new mission in Afghanistan is a direct contradiction of its promise to bring them home, Labour’s Defence spokesperson Iain Lees-Galloway says.

“The Government made a promise to withdraw our armed forces from Afghanistan by April. It’s reneged on that promise.

“This latest deployment is a new mission, in a new area and with a whole new mandate.

“It is not about reconstruction and rebuilding, but about security and intelligence.

“Rather than leading New Zealanders to believe that the NZDF’s work in Afghanistan was coming to an end, John Key should have been honest about his plans to extend New Zealand’s commitment indefinitely.

“Our troops have been in Afghanistan for more than 10 years. They can be proud of the contribution they have made to assist the lives of the local Bamyan people, but it’s now time they came home.”